How Often a Patient Should Be Visited, How Long the Duration of Visitation Should Be and Complete Visit

لَا عِيَادَةَ فِي وَجَعِ الْعَيْنِ وَ لَا تَكُونُ عِيَادَةٌ فِي أَقَلَّ مِنْ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فَإِذَا وَجَبَتْ فَيَوْمٌ وَ يَوْمٌ لَا فَإِذَا طَالَتِ الْعِلَّةُ تُرِكَ الْمَرِيضُ وَ عِيَالَهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that visit is not necessary for one’s illness of eyes, also not before every three days, unless needed in which case it should take place with a one-day interval in between. If an illness prolongs, then the patient is left in the care of his family.”

الْعِيَادَةُ قَدْرَ فُوَاقِ نَاقَةٍ أَوْ حَلْبِ نَاقَةٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that duration of visiting a patient is as long as a baby- camel is given the chance to suckle the mother during milking the camel or as long as it takes to milk a camel.”

مَرِضَ بَعْضُ مَوَالِيهِ فَخَرَجْنَا إِلَيْهِ نَعُودُهُ وَ نَحْنُ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ مَوَالِي جَعْفَرٍ فَاسْتَقْبَلَنَا جَعْفَرٌ ع فِي بَعْضِ الطَّرِيقِ فَقَالَ لَنَا أَيْنَ تُرِيدُونَ فَقُلْنَا نُرِيدُ فُلَاناً نَعُودُهُ فَقَالَ لَنَا قِفُوا فَوَقَفْنَا فَقَالَ مَعَ أَحَدِكُمْ تُفَّاحَةٌ أَوْ سَفَرْجَلَةٌ أَوْ أُتْرُجَّةٌ أَوْ لَعْقَةٌ[2] مِنْ طِيبٍ أَوْ قِطْعَةٌ مِنْ عُودِ بَخُورٍ فَقُلْنَا مَا مَعَنَا شَيْ‌ءٌ مِنْ هَذَا

“A servant of Ja‘far ibn Muhammad (a.s.), informed me that once one of the followers of the Imam became ill and we went to visit him. We were a group of the followers of Ja‘far ibn Muhammad (a.s.). He (the Imam) met us at a distance on the way and asked, ‘Where are you going?’ We replied, ‘We like to visit so and so pa

تَمَامُ الْعِيَادَةِ لِلْمَرِيضِ أَنْ تَضَعَ يَدَكَ عَلَى ذِرَاعِهِ وَ تُعَجِّلَ الْقِيَامَ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ فَإِنَّ عِيَادَةَ النَّوْكَى أَشَدُّ عَلَى الْمَرِيضِ مِنْ وَجَعِهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that visiting of a patient is complete upon placing your hand over his arm (praying) and standing up quickly to leave; an unwise visiting of a patient is harder for him than the pain due to illness.”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ تَمَامُ الْعِيَادَةِ أَنْ تَضَعَ يَدَكَ عَلَى الْمَرِيضِ إِذَا دَخَلْتَ عَلَيْهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Visit of a patient is complete when you place your hand on him when you meet him.’”

إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص قَالَ: إِنَّ مِنْ أَعْظَمِ الْعُوَّادِ أَجْراً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَمَنْ إِذَا عَادَ أَخَاهُ خَفَّفَ الْجُلُوسَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ الْمَرِيضُ يُحِبُّ ذَلِكَ‌ وَ يُرِيدُهُ وَ يَسْأَلُهُ ذَلِكَ وَ قَالَ ع مِنْ تَمَامِ الْعِيَادَةِ أَنْ يَضَعَ الْعَائِدُ إِحْدَى يَدَيْهِ عَلَى الْأُخْرَى أَوْ عَلَى جَبْهَتِهِ‌[1].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘Of the visitors who receive the greatest reward from Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, is one whose visiting time is short, unless the patient likes otherwise and asks him to stay for a longer time.’ He has also said, ‘A visit is complete when